Pete Thamel reveals number of wins Nebraska's Scott Frost needs to keep his job

Nebraska coach Scott Frost finds himself under a microscope heading into the season opener against Northwestern in Dublin. Speculation is running rampant about his job security and what it would take to avoid a potential firing.

ESPN insider Pete Thamel shed some light on that and how many games Frost might have to win to keep his job.

Nebraska hired Frost, a former Cornhuskers quarterback, in 2018 after an impressive two-year tenure at UCF. But before Frost, Nebraska moved on from Bo Pelini in 2014 and brought in Mike Riley. Pelini spent seven years in Lincoln and won nine games or more every season during that time, while Riley went 19-19 before Frost came in.

Thamel said that history is important context in assessing what Frost has to do to stay beyond the 2022 season. It might take something that hasn’t happened since 2016: finishing over. 500.

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“This is a school that a decade ago, fired a coach who never won less than nine games,” Thamel said during a SportsCenter appearance on Friday. “They really haven’t come close to winning nine games since. They’ve only done it once in that decade span. I would say he at least has to win seven.”

Is Week 0 a must-win game for Scott Frost and Nebraska?

Thamel also discussed what’s at stake for Frost and Nebraska on Saturday against Northwestern. Remember, Frost signed a restructured contract — one which included a pay cut. That makes it a make-or-break year for the Cornhuskers headman and, as crazy as it sounds, makes Week 0 a must-win game.

“There’s a lot at stake for [Frost] this season,” Thamel said. “He took a million dollar pay cut and agreed to a new contract that essentially cuts his buyout in half from $15 million to $7.5 million. So essentially, Scott Frost agreed to a deal that would make it easier for his alma mater to fire him if it doesn’t work out this year.

“You can’t stress enough how important the Week 0 opener in Ireland is. Nebraska’s only Big Ten win last year came over Northwestern, they beat them 56-7. They’re essentially two-touchdown favorites. If there’s ever a must-win opener for a coach, Scott Frost is facing it this weekend.

ESPN predicts Frost could lose his job during the season

Earlier Friday, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach made his prediction for Nebraska’s 2022 season — or, rather, for Frost’s future with the program. He thinks Frost will likely lose his job, and has a date in mind for the inevitable parting of ways.

“One of Nebraska’s favorite sons, Frost’s tenure at his alma mater has been a disaster,” Schlabach wrote. “The Cornhuskers have gone 15-29 in his four seasons and haven’t made a bowl game under his watch. He took a $1 million salary reduction, and his buyout gets cut in half to $7.5 million after Oct. 1.

“The Cornhuskers will start 3-0, but penalties and turnovers will continue to doom them during a 1-3 stretch after that. Athletic director Trev Alberts will cut him loose after a loss at Purdue on Oct. 15.”